Hardware


Under this topic we will be discussing input device, output device, storage device and central processing units. You should be able to understand the terms/meaning of the concept that will go under this topic.

How has E-waste affect our environment after we have used them and bought new ones?

1. State and discuss the issue/s
2. Identify the stakeholders.
3. Draw the triangle (you can have bullet points for the list in the triangle.)
4.Discuss how the e-waste affect our environment.
5. Evaluate how we can solve it as global citizens.
6. You as a student what can you do to minimize your e-waste.
7. Link your name with the main article.

Read this and consider some of the points they have done to minimize the waste in their school.

1. Yale
2. Green Peace

Please your answers here:

Irene

Sang

Tord



Due 17 Nov 2011


===============

HSL class

1. Find topic/videos/articles that will best explain your topic.
2. Find are examples of where it is used in the Society.
3. Issues that were encountered using the Hardware. (Articles)
4. Solution for issues(articles or videos).
5. Evaluate the solution.

Due 17 Nov 2011

Irene - Types of Computers - personal and digital assitants (PDA's), latops, desktop computers
1.) Article & Video
5 generations of computers (article)
"Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technological development that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliable devices."
1st generation: vaccuum tubes
2nd generation: transistors
3rd generation: integrated circuits
4th generation: microproccessors
5th generation: artifiial intelligence

http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2002/FiveGenerations.asp

5 generations of computers- (video)



2.) Examples in society

"Children are becoming weaker, less muscular and unable to do physical tasks that previous generations found simple, research has revealed." Globalization affected children in a negative and harmful way." This article discusses the negative effects that globalization has had on children who use these new electronics.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/may/21/children-weaker-computers-replace-activity

3.)Issues
Globalization- The technology industry has grown rapidly and many children are negavtively affected by it. They choose their electronics instead of playing on the playground with their friends.

People and machines- The kids become addicted to he technology they use. All the colors effects, and sounds draw people in and this is dangerous for children especially because they don't develop properly. The article discusses how many children and teenagers are addicted to smartphones; their fitness levels have gone gone down significantly.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/25217778-bde8-11e0-ab9f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1dv55O8CM

Health-Physical health such as muscle and weight gain. Children that use electronics daily are more likely to contain more fat and less muscle than ones who don't use them as often. This articla is about different types of technology related injuries that can occr in children. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/1041677.stm

4.) Solutions for issues

People and machines

  • Setting a time-limit for computer usage, so that children can get away from the technology.
  • Pursuing other interests such as playing other games or collecting things, insead of becoming addicted to electronic.
Health

  • If the electronic must be used, then the children should be given regular breaks so their eyes, and muscles can rest, to prevent injuries.
  • Physical health- For RSI, use ergonomic keyboards and chairs. They are made to fit the human body and support it where need be. The ergonomic keyboard is turned slightly inside to follow the natural curve of the wrists. To prevent eyestrain, take regular breaks away from the computer to give your eyes a break. Muscle and bone pain can be reduced by using proper posture while using the computer.

5.) Evalution of solution
The solutions listed may or may not work. It really depends on how the parents/guardians look at this global issue. But I think that if children were told to take a break every hour or so to go play outside, their fitness levels would increase, since they are not sitting at the computer all day. The solution for ergonomic furniture is probably the best, if using the computer is a necessity, because they are more friendly in the sense that they are made specifically to fit the body.




Mitchell - CPU / Primary storage


CPU

The development of the CPU:
http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/feature/2124781/microprocessor-development

Evolution of AMD CPU design:


Explanation of clock speed:
A system clock is a timing device that produces electrical pulses to synchronise the computers operations. Clock speed is the number of clock cycles per second, for early computers this was measured in kilohertz’s (KHz) but for the much faster modern day it is measured in gigahertz (GHz). The fastest commercially available is the AMD 8 core FX processor which managed to reach a clock speed of 8.429 GHz.
Over clocking is increasing the clock speed of your CPU (and graphics card) above it’s commercially bought speed, this in turn increases the computers performance but this can damage your CPU if the clock is set too high.

2009 world record for CPU over clocking:


Issues with overclocking:
Increasing clock speed means increasing the amount of electrical pulses that the CPU produces. When electricity passes through something it heats it up, so the more pulses the CPU generates the hotter it will get. This is one of the big issues with overclocking as it can cause hard ware failure (i.e. frying your CPU) and also damage your motherboard. Another problem with overclocking a CPU is that although it can greatly increase the performance of the system, doing so will void the warranty of the product.

Stakeholders for overclocking:
The owner of the pc that is being over clocked is liable for damage or malfunction with their product when they overclock it as they are voiding the warranty agreement and become responsible for their own actions. The manufacturer of the chip is not liable for any damage or problems the user may have with their product after it has been modified as the warranty agreement states that the alteration of the product will void the warranty. However the manufacturer can state a recommend overclocking speed for better performance if it is stated that doing so will void the warranty agreement.

Solution for over clocking issues:
The solution for the heating problem caused by increasing the system clock speed is for the user to have the appropriate cooling system. The type of cooling systems used varies depending on how much the clock speed has been raised from the factory setting. There are many different types of cooling systems available including: heat-sinks, cooling fans, water based cooing, water and fan combinations. There are extreme cases (with experiments conducted by the CPU manufacturers) where liquid nitrogen (-196 C°) and/or liquid helium (-269 C°) comes into direct contact with the chip and cools the processor to temperatures near absolute zero.

Evaluation of the solution:
The solution is very effective but may not be appropriate in most situations e.g. a person looking to overclock their computer for better gaming performance should not use liquid helium to cool their CPU. Also it may not be cost effective and the digital divide may prevent people in poor countries from getting access to the materials required to maintain and cool the modified chip. The solution is valid but only when used in the appropriate circumstances.




Explanation of primary storage:
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/primary-storage
RAM: (Random Access Memory) is a form of volatile memory that the computer uses to temporarily store program files and Data that need to be instantly accessible by the CPU.
ROM: (Read Only Memory) a form of non-volatile memory that once written to cannot be edited. ROM can be integrated into microcode to write instructions for hardware e.g. CPU’s.

Comparison of primary storage between the IBM XT model 5160 computer and modern day pc’s:
Feature:
XT model 5160:
Modern PC:
RAM
128 Kb
8 Gb
ROM
10 Mb
2 Tb
Processor speed
6 MHz
8 GHz
There has been a colossal improvement in computer technology since the IBM XT model 5160 (1983) to our modern day system that are still being developed at an alarming rate.

Issues with primary storage:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/29/primary_data_in_cloud/

The article discusses how people who need to decrease the latency that applications encounter when reading or writing primary data, are storing their primary data in the cloud and keeping the SDD memory for the application itself.


Sangwon Cho
1. topic(video from youtube)

2. Ports are used in society, more as in the computer itself, as a connection line. It connects the computer with peripheral devices, such as keyboards, monitors, and printers. It sends information and orders through the wire, which is advantageous in speed and security compared to wireless connections.

3.source :
http://www.ehow.com/about_5677948_computer-port-problems.html

The three major issues are related to connection errors and hardware defections or mistakes.
Firstly, the IRQ(Interrup Request Line),which is a bus signal, can hinder the CPU by putting the command from the port on hold, and do other requested tasks. Therefore, the computer may not notice the port eventhough it is inserted. This relates to the issue of people and machines. Many people just think there is an issue in the port, and attempts to replace it with a new one. Technology has been advancing so quickly that people are not getting a chance to learn and catch up which can be the drawback of advance.

Secondly, the most major problem, is the connection itself. The port wire may not be inserted in the correct port, which would definitely lead to malfunctioning because, the computer cannot understand what information the cable is sending. Or the port could have different types from various selections of computers. This relates to the problem of standards and protocols because the insufficient standards of products leads to different types of ports that are incompatible with others. Also, the port may not be inserted securely, which could mistake the owner that there is a defect in the port iteslf, when actually it's just the user's fault.

Thirdly, there can be a defect in the port. Mistreating the port by not caring enough of the computer can lead it to being defected. If the port is damaged, it is very likely that the cables will not be inserted properly, or if it does, it wouldn't do it's function properly. And the defection in the port can affect alot of areas. One of the areas would be business and employment. Alot of businesses and works these days require computer access, which requires the hardwared to do so. And most hardwares are connected by cables and ports.If there are defections in ports and cables, it would be impossible for the workers to do their job that would require computers.

4.source :
http://www.ehow.com/way_5456663_usb-port-problems.html
The solution to the first problem is to reboot the computer and wait for a while for the operating system to properly notice the inserted cable. If this does not happen even after the while, the user should launch a troubleshooter to identify the problem. The troubleshooter can vary from different computers such as "device manager" or "Hardware". Sometimes, the problem could be solved by installing a new driver or software from a disk or download.

The solution to the second problem is to check the connection of the cable more carefully and tighten the connection. Or check if the cable is in the right port. If not sure which one is which, find the manuals to identify. Also, particularly for USB ports, unplug the port and try it on another one to see if it is the device's problem or the actual port's defect. Also, in the case of USB ports, the extension cords can disrupt the connection of the computer and the cable by not being able to recognize the port.

Finally, the solution for a defect in the port can be solved by buying a new PCI card for the port. By buying the PCI card, the user has to open up the computer hardware, and repair the PCI card by replacing the old one with the new one. Also, if there are alot of problems in the port, the workers can replace the cables with wireless access. This is advantageous in that it looks less messy and there is no worries of cable and port defections.

5. Troubleshooters mostly deal with general problems that are expected or predicted by the manufacturers. Therefore, they may not include specific solutions for certain problems that the user is dealing with. Then, the user would probably have to search the internet or ask for professional help. And, if the user takes the wrong solution for a different problem, it could result in wasting money by buying unecessary drivers or softwares. Also, this solution mostly relates to the area of education and training. It would be bothering for the teacher to reboot the computer everytime there is a problem with the ports. Not only would it bother the class, but it would also waste valuble time.

The problems are not always loosened cables. There is a possibility, but there are always exceptions. But, most people think it is the only problem, and forces the port. This can lead to a defect in the port because the port will get damaged by the cable.

Unless the user is a professional, it is hard to detect a problem in the port that could have subtle defects or other problems such as connection errors. So, the user could end up buying new PCI cards for nothing and this is a waste of time and money. Also, it is risky for the user him/herself to open up the computer and change the card because the user could damage other crucial parts of the computer.




Gelson-Mac address/Motherboard


1-Topic(Article and video)

Mac address

In a local area network (LAN) or other network, the MAC (Media Access Control) address is your computer's unique hardware number. (On an Ethernet LAN, it's the same as your Ethernet address.) When you're connected to the Internet from your computer (or host as the Internet protocol thinks of it), a correspondence table relates your IP address to your computer's physical (MAC) address on the LAN.

So basically Mac address is the hardware ID.

(Youtube video)

(Link)

http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=security/changemac

Issues

If you change your mac address at home it will happen nothing ,it will only delete your network information so when you reboot it, it will ask for the network information again,

but if you using it in a company and your using the computer with a wired network it will allow anyone one who’s around or using the same network to take information from your computer, also you won’t be able to login again on your computer because a lot of company protected their computer with mac address, most of wireless networks are sensitive to mac address so therefore if you keep on changing your mac address all the time ,every time you change it,as i said it won’t let you connect to the internet.

Mac address is related to your network card driver, it means if you keep on changing it will need either windows or other operations system retyped.

In opposite in Consolas such as ps3, Xbox and etc, sometimes when you’re playing online and you do something bad or illegal they just block your consola by blocking you lose the access so you won't be able to play online again, so the only way to redo this is if you change your mac address.

Sometimes when you change your mac address it will AutoDetect the correct device such as wireless or etc but sometimes it will just ask you to put it manually.

(article)

(Youtube video)

Stakeholders:

The first stakeholder and the most affected will be you or the owner of the computer because you won’t be able to work with your computer until they fixe it, the second one is the IT company service because that’s the only you can get your computer fixed.

Solution:

The only way to not damage your device is either don’t change the mac address or you can change it but you in a safety so basically know how to change it.

Evaluation:

A mac address is a very smart way to identify computer but with a small change you can create a big impact (damage) such as if you change it all the time you can lose wireless information and people can enter and take materials in your computer.

Motherboard

The circuit board that contains a computer’s CPU is called the motherboard, it is the main board of a computer, usually containing the circuitry for the central processing unit, keyboard, and monitor and often having slots for accepting additional circuitry.

Issues

Since motherboard is not reliable because you can only use it in warm place and if you use it in a very hot places, it can damage the components in the computer leading to the accidents such as crashing or stop working, because a lot of people use their computer more than 20 hours a day and the motherboard is always working, it gets hot so it needs a fresh air and if doesn’t have any it will damage the motherboard.

Stakeholders:

The stakeholders are the computer users such as normal people or employees, IT department and the company of the computer or motherboard.

Solution:

It depends in where you live since motherboard gets damage very easily in a hot place then if you live in hot places, you should use less your computer for example if you use for 20 hours a day right, then you have to use only for probably 4 to 6 hours.

Evaluation:

Since motherboard is reliable then it will affect the stakeholders such as the users and the owners because when the motherboard crashes it doesn’t give any signal or specific message about what happens and the only way to know is if you reboot your computer and it refuses.

Jenny Kim

Topic: Sensors, probes, real-time data collection (Input and output devices)

1. Find topic/videos/articles that will best explain your topic.

http://forwardthinking.pcmag.com/show-reports/290634-techonomy-how-environmental-sensors-probes-data-collection-are-making-an-impact#fbid=8eO8G_NPp2R

2. Find are examples of where it is used in the Society.

In this article, sensor is used to detect the leakage of gases, probes to track tropical deforestation and finally real-time data collection to monitor overfishing. These machines’ uses are: Sensors are input devices and can be referred as feedback cycle and they could collect data continuously by monitoring temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. There are touch sensors such as in ‘touch smart phones’, LED sensors such as in mouses and finally heat sensors such to control and monitor heat, for example, they could collect the lowest and highest temperature in a specific area. Probes are input devices and can be used to find and learn about the network’s condition and are used in science and medical field. They are used to measure temperature, pH, etc, for example, to make satisfy certain temperature needed in stores, or even hospitals; also to satisfy certain pH in the water that would be sell out. Finally, real-time data collection is output device and is used to gather and collect data such as to find out information at the time they would be necessary such as getting some instant medical information such as blood pressure of a patient in the medical field.

In this article, sensor is used to detect the leakage of gases, probes to track tropical deforestation and finally real-time data collection to monitor overfishing. These machines’ uses are: Sensors are input devices and can be referred as feedback cycle and they could collect data continuously by monitoring temperature, humidity, pressure, etc. There are touch sensors such as in ‘touch smart phones’, LED sensors such as in mouses and finally heat sensors such to control and monitor heat, for example, they could collect the lowest and highest temperature in a specific area. Probes are input devices and can be used to find and learn about the network’s condition and are used in science and medical field. They are used to measure temperature, pH, etc, for example, to make satisfy certain temperature needed in stores, or even hospitals; also to satisfy certain pH in the water that would be sell out. Finally, real-time data collection is output device and is used to gather and collect data such as to find out information at the time they would be necessary such as getting some instant medical information such as blood pressure of a patient in the medical field.

Explanation of clock speed:

3. Issues that were encountered using the Hardware. (Articles)

The issue that was encountered in this article was ‘People and machines’. The use of IT systems such as sensors, probes, and real-time data collection would bring advantages to our environment. With probes, people would be able to track tropical deforestation and climate changes which would make them address better about environmental problems. With sensors, people could detect leaks of natural gas or methane which would detract them from having a big danger. Also, real-time data collection would help people to monitor overfishing, which would distribute the fair share of the fishes to people.

Another issue that could be encountered in this article is ‘Reliability’. People should know the limit of those machines accuracy – those of sensors, probes, and real-time data collection. And if they relied on it without knowing that its accuracy rate was low, it would trigger them a worse condition where they have to be responsible the unwanted consequences for having relied on those machines.

In addition, ‘Surveillance’ could also be encountered in this article. Surveillance is when people monitor the actions of people with the use of IT systems. For instance, when people would overfish, the machine would tell the observers that they were overfishing and further actions would be taken to stop the overfishing.

Stakeholders

First stakeholders in this article are the citizens who should be aware of their environment since this article mostly addresses about environmental issues. Other stakeholders could be surveillants or people monitoring the actions of people who would overfish. Other stakeholders would be involved with the observers who would be watching for a signal from the machines if there is any leakage of gases. Also, fishers may be addressed as stakeholders since they should be conscious of their consequences to the actions such as overfishing. Finally, important stakeholders are also the inventors or developers of those machines – sensors, probes, real-time data collection, since they should be also responsible for their machines’ accuracy.

4. Solution for issues (articles or videos).

Three Solutions listed in this article are having:

1. Probes as means to track tropical deforestation and climate changes.

2. Sensors as means to detect the leakage of natural gas and methane.

3. Real-time data collections as means to monitor overfishing.

5. Evaluate the solution.

The data collected through sensors, probes and real-time data collection could help to make better policies for environmental purposes, but it can’t be said that those input/output devices would be better than the regulations and would replace environmental regulation. So if people, rely too much on machines, not being aware that they might have flaws in them, bigger responsibility would be necessary as not wanted consequences would follow them. People could refer to their data collected through those machines (or devices) to some extent which would also help them; however, they shouldn’t be relying completely on them. Rather than having ambiguous solutions to these environmental issues, regulations would be more effective and helpful.

Tord

Maciej

Hardware Assignment (topic(s) covered – secondary storage, bits,bytes,kilobytes)

1)

Secondary storage is the leading way of storing, as well as transferring data from one device to another. They might store fairly large amounts of data, with having hard drives that reach up to 3 TB (terabytes) of storage at the standard, and having smaller ones this year at about 4-16GB (gigabytes). Those are usually of the MSProDuo (Memory Stick Pro Duo) that are developed by Sony, and used in most of their mobile devices. External hard drives, as mentioned before, also count as secondary storage devices.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5367175_uses-secondary-storage-devices.html - a short paragraph portraying how they are used and viewed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive#History – a brief history of how the hard drives changed since they were first created.

2) Above paragraph;

3) Two main problems with secondary storage:

– No port to connect your secondary storage in.

- Slow data transfer unsatisfactory for some companies/users.

• If you write to a file, the data can sometimes be gone.

– Performance

• Caching and a proper use of the storage.

-Problem if the USB/other hub is damaged or the secondary storage cable is damaged.

http://cloudstack.org/forum/6-general-discussion/7379-secondary-storage-problems.html - a forum thread about a member having trouble with his secondary storage drive.

4) http://carpesomediem.hubpages.com/hub/install-second-hd

Upgrading your hard drive/memory stick to a higher transfer speed one as you may be unsatisfied with your current one (or it’s too old)

5) The article embedded is a satisfactory one, as it describes how to properly add another hard drive (secondary storage) to your PC. People should continuously purchase new secondary storage devices or secondary hard drives, as the consumer markets develop newer or faster versions of the outdated product.

Hardware Assignment (topic(s) covered – secondary storage, bits,bytes,kilobytes)

1)

Secondary storage is the leading way of storing, as well as transferring data from one device to another. They might store fairly large amounts of data, with having hard drives that reach up to 3 TB (terabytes) of storage at the standard, and having smaller ones this year at about 4-16GB (gigabytes). Those are usually of the MSProDuo (Memory Stick Pro Duo) that are developed by Sony, and used in most of their mobile devices. External hard drives, as mentioned before, also count as secondary storage devices.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5367175_uses-secondary-storage-devices.html - a short paragraph portraying how they are used and viewed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_disk_drive#History – a brief history of how the hard drives changed since they were first created.

2) Above paragraph;

3) Two main problems with secondary storage:

– No port to connect your secondary storage in.

- Slow data transfer unsatisfactory for some companies/users.

• If you write to a file, the data can sometimes be gone.

– Performance

• Caching and a proper use of the storage.

-Problem if the USB/other hub is damaged or the secondary storage cable is damaged.

http://cloudstack.org/forum/6-general-discussion/7379-secondary-storage-problems.html - a forum thread about a member having trouble with his secondary storage drive.

4) http://carpesomediem.hubpages.com/hub/install-second-hd

Upgrading your hard drive/memory stick to a higher transfer speed one as you may be unsatisfied with your current one (or it’s too old)

5) The article embedded is a satisfactory one, as it describes how to properly add another hard drive (secondary storage) to your PC. People should continuously purchase new secondary storage devices or secondary hard drives, as the consumer markets develop newer or faster versions of the outdated product.




TORD

A system clock is a timing device that produces electrical pulses to synchronise the computers operations. Clock speed is the number of clock cycles per second, for early computers this was measured in kilohertz’s (KHz) but for the much faster modern day it is measured in gigahertz (GHz). The fastest commercially available is the AMD 8 core FX processor which managed to reach a clock speed of 8.429 GHz.

Over clocking is increasing the clock speed of your CPU above the it’s commercially bought speed, this in turn increases the computers performance but this can damage your CPU if the clock is set too high.


2009 world record for CPU over clocking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wB0JodKgZ0A&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL4A9E2DE671B674A